The present disclosure relates to systems, methods, and devices for providing subcutaneous hydration. Generally, the system may be used to provide subcutaneous hydration in a cost effective, integrated, and simple manner that is performable by non-clinically trained administrators. Methods to produce a deployment device and to provide subcutaneous hydration are also disclosed. The device may be an integrated unit for delivering subcutaneous hydration to patient in safe, cost-effective, durable, and/or less risky manner.
Generally practiced methods for rehydrating patients who suffer from severe dehydration include intravenous (IV) rehydration and oral rehydration therapy (ORT). IV rehydration provides a fast aqueous drip rate and is preferable when treating severely dehydrated patients. However, IVs also require individuals with a high level of skill for their set up and administration. By contrast, oral rehydration therapy does not require a high degree of skill to administer, yet also provides a must slower rehydration effect.
Often, individuals in remote parts of the developing world either lack access to formal medical care where intravenous fluids can be administered, or face significant delay and transit times before obtaining medical care. Over 1.5 million children die annually due to diarrhea despite increasingly effective implementation of programs to increase access to oral rehydration solutions. Accordingly, the situation inevitably arises where oral rehydration therapy does not provide a sufficient rehydration rate for a specific patient, e.g. one who is overly dehydrated or suffering from emesis, while individuals with the skill necessary to set up IV rehydration on the patient are not readily available. In this case, an intermediary measure may be a more appropriate solution. This measure will not replace IV or ORT, but rather provide a practical bridge therapy which may help avert circulatory collapse.
One secondary or intermediary rehydration method involves subcutaneous, as opposed to intravenous, delivery of rehydrating fluids. Such devices should be easier to administer as no needle puncture of human veins is required. The set up time should also be much quicker, and the cost necessarily lower. Local clinically-trained personnel would not be required to administer this intermediary measure.
Current subcutaneous rehydration devices, e.g. a butterfly needle attached to a saline bag with an attached drip set, have a number of recognized limitations. First, they do not provide enough failsafe guidance for non-clinically trained administrators of self-administrating patients. While subcutaneous injection does not puncture human veins, it may can cause unnecessary pain when the injection is performed improperly, e.g., using the wrong injection angle, depth, or injection site. Second, these devices may also not be integrated well enough for non-clinically trained administrators to provide facile treatment without confusion, delay, and/or impaired effectiveness.
It would be desirable to provide systems, methods, and devices for self-contained subcutaneous hydration device which may be used by minimally-trained caregivers, which are the predominate type of caregivers in remote situations. It would also be desirable to provide durable, easy-to-use systems, methods, and devices for administering parenteral fluids using a subcutaneous temporizing measure when oral rehydration therapies are insufficient and IV fluids will be delayed or are unavailable. Such subcutaneous measure should provide sufficient guidance as to reduce the pain experienced by a patient when administered by non-clinically trained technicians. Such measures should also be well integrated to reduce confusion and loss of effectiveness, while also being cost effective for proliferate use in economically depressed regions, trauma or battlefield situations, and emergency and disaster relief.